The village council operates the central watering point and washeteria. A new water treatment plant is almost completed but is producting potable water now. Water is derived from snow, ice melt and rain from a new man made lake reservoir and treated. They also have a wastewater lagoon. A new land fill site is being worked on and should be completed soon. About fifty percent of the residents are on the flush haul system, the remainder use honeybuckets. Honeybuckets are disposed by residents at private pits. The school operates its own surface water treatment facility but shares the wastewater lagoon with the washeteria.

RUBA Status & Activities This Qtr:

RUBA staff traveled to Kwigillingok on April 9 to 11 and worked with the administrator, bookkeeper, and administrative assistant on budgeting, finance reports, and updating the water and wastewater ordinance. The budgeting work for CY12 was started in November 2011, but was not completed and approved until March 2012. RUBA staff trained and assisted the administrative and finance staff on the budgeting process and how to use the DCRA budgeting manual and formats. Staff used the CY12 budget that was approved by the Kwigillingok IRA Council in March 2012. RUBA staff showed the bookkeeper how to transfer revenues and expenditures to the budgeting manual formats, and went over the financial reports generated through QuickBooks Pro, Profit and Loss, budget vs. actuals. RUBA staff met with the IRA Council President and explained the RUBA report, describing how it affects their community. The RUBA report will be put on the agenda for the next council meeting. The IRA Council has two new water and wastewater ordinance drafts to work on and RUBA staff has copies of both drafts. All of the administrative and finance records of the water and wastewater utility were separated from the Kwigillingok Light Plant records.

RUBA Activities for the Coming Qtr:

Staff will continue to work with the utility manager on improving operations and assisting when requested.

Scores:

Essential Indicators:

26 of
26

Sustainable Indicators:

24 of
27

Total Score:

50 of
53

Finances

Essential Indicators

Answer

Question

Yes

All revenues and expenses for the utility are listed in the utility budget.

Yes

The utility has adopted a balanced realistic budget.

Yes

Monthly financial reports are prepared and submitted to the policy making board.

Yes

The utility is current in paying all water/wastewater electric bills.

Yes

The utility has on hand a year's adequate fuel supply or it has a financial plan to purchase an adequate supply.

Yes

The utility is receiving revenues (user fees or other sources) sufficient to cover operating expenses.

Meeting minutes approving the 2012 budget are on file, with budget and finance reports. The utility is current on their electric bills according to the last billing statement. Fuel is bought from a local vendor. The new washeteria is subsidized from general fund accounts, mainly from equipment rental. The flush haul system is subsidized from Kwigillingok Power Company. A new water treatment plant is almost completed and once completed will be conveyed to the Kwigillingok IRA Council. The current flush and haul rates are low and are being reviewed by staff to raise rates to cover operation and maintenance costs. A new business plan is being created for the new water treatment plant and washeteria. A rate study for the flush haul system is being considered for next quarter.

Accounting Systems

Essential Indicators

Answer

Question

Yes

The utility has adopted a collection policy and actively follows it.

Yes

The utility bills customers on a regular basis.

Yes

An accounts receivable system is in place which tracks customers and reports past due accounts and amounts.

Yes

An accounts payable system is in place.

Yes

The payroll system correctly calculates payroll and keeps records.

Yes

A cash receipt system is in place that records incoming money and how it was spent.

Yes

The utility has a cash disbursement system that records how money was spent.

Sustainable Indicators

Answer

Question

Yes

A chart of accounts is used that identifies categories in a reasonable, usable manner.

Yes

Monthly bank reconciliations have been completed for all utility accounts.

Yes

The utility has a purchasing system that requires approval prior to purchase, and the approval process compares proposed purchases to budgeted amounts.

Accounting Systems Comments

Kwigillingok IRA Council has a collection policy, but it needs to be updated. Customers are billed every month. Accounts receivables, accounts payables, payroll system, cash receipts and cash disbursement system are computerized in QuickBooks Pro 2008. The finance director is planning to upgrade the QuickBooks accounting system. The flush haul system and the Kwigillingok Power Company are managed by the same utility manager. The washeteria is managed by the tribal administrator. A chart of accounts is on file. Accounts are reconciled every month. A purchase order system is in place.

Tax Problems

Essential Indicators

Answer

Question

Yes

The utility has a system to accurately calculate, track, and report payroll tax liabilities.

Yes

The utility is current on filing tax reports.

Yes

The utility is current on making tax deposits.

N/A

If there are any past due tax liabilities or recorded tax liens, a lien release has been issued or a repayment agreement has been signed and repayments are current.

Tax Problems Comments

The IRS confirmed compliance on 4/10/12. Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development reported that Kwigillingok has filed all required employment security reports up to March 31, 2012. March-April 2012 Lien Watch indicates no liens against the community.

Personnel System

Essential Indicators

Answer

Question

Yes

The utility has a posted workers compensation insurance policy in effect.

Sustainable Indicators

Answer

Question

Yes

The utility has adopted and uses a Personnel Policy, which has been reviewed by an attorney, AML or Commerce for topics and language.

Yes

The utility has adequate written job descriptions for all positions.

Yes

The utility has adopted and follows a written personnel evaluation process that ties the job description to the evaluation.

Yes

The utility has an adequate written hiring process.

Yes

The utility has personnel folders on every employee that contain at least: I-9, Job Application and Letter of Acceptance.

Yes

The utility has a probationary period for new hires that includes orientation, job training/oversight, and evaluations.

Yes

The utility provides training opportunities to staff as needed and available.

Personnel System Comments

Kwigillingok IRA workers compensation insurance coverage is valid until May 2013 with Alaska National Insurance Company. The Bethel regional office has a copy of the personnel policy, which includes job descriptions. This personnel policy is currently being updated. All staff are evaluated each year. The utilities director emphasized that the operators are on a performance based evaluation and their hours are based on their workload. The utility personnel files are complete and contain I-9s. The personnel policy contains provisions for an employee probation period, which is followed. When training opportunities become available for employees, they are allowed to attend.

Organizational Management

Essential Indicators

Answer

Question

Yes

The entity that owns the utility is known; the entity that will operate the utility is set.

Yes

The policy making body is active in policy making of the utility.

Yes

The policy making body enforces utility policy.

Yes

The utility has an adequately trained manager.

Yes

The utility has an adequately trained bookkeeper.

Yes

The utility has an adequately trained operator or operators.

Yes

The utility has adopted the necessary ordinances (or rules and regulations) necessary to give it the authority to operate.

Sustainable Indicators

Answer

Question

Yes

The utility has adopted an organizational chart that reflects the current structure.

Yes

The policy making body meets as required.

Yes

The utility complies with the open meeting act for all meetings.

Organizational Management Comments

The utility is operated by the Kwigillingok IRA Council. The council meets regularly each month and is active in policy making for the utility. The council complies with the Open Meetings Act for each regular meeting they hold. The meetings are posted three days in advance with written flyers throughout the community. The utility manager has worked for the Kwigillingok IRA Council since 1983. The bookkeeper has been working for the IRA Council since 2004. A new water treatment operator was hired recently and is currently being trained on the job by ANTHC. The water operator is scheduled to go to a water treatment training, in order to acquire certification. The bookkeeper and utility manager attend training sessions when they become available. Utility Ordinance number 2005-10-01 was submitted to the Bethel regional office, as was an organizational chart. These documents are in the community file.

Operation of Utility

Essential Indicators

Answer

Question

Yes

The utility operator(s) are actively working towards necessary certification.

Yes

The utility has a preventative maintenance plan developed for the existing sanitation facilities.

Sustainable Indicators

Answer

Question

Yes

The manager receives a monthly O&M report from the utility operator and routinely "spot checks" the facilities to see that the maintenance items are being completed.

Yes

The utility has a safety manual and holds safety meetings.

Yes

Utility facilities have not suffered any major problems/outages due to management issues that are unresolved.

Yes

The utility is operating at the level of service that was proposed.

Yes

The operator provides status reports to the manager on a routine basis.

Yes

The utility has completed and distributed its "Consumer Confidence Report".

Yes

The utility is not on the "Significant Non-Complier" (SNC) list.

No

The utility maintains an inventory control list.

No

The utility maintains a critical spare parts list.

Operation of Utility Comments

The Kwigillingok IRA Council operates the new washeteria. Community members use rain water and ice for drinking water. The tribe provides services to empty wastewater tanks and water haul services. The utility operator was recently hired and is being trained on the job. The preventative maintenance plan for the new water treatment plant and the new washeteria is outlined in the operations and maintenance manual. The utility manager does spot checks to the washeteria and verbally receives information on maintenance and other issues which is written and presented to the council at their monthly meetings. The utility manager stated he holds safety meetings once a month but did not submit a written safety manual. The utility has not suffered any major problems or outages due to management issues to date. The utility ordinance states that the primary service shall be to provide water haul service and wastewater tank evacuation of homes. No inventory control or critical spare parts lists were provided, but the ANTHC engineer told administrative staff the new systems will come with both.